‘Come, Make In India’: PM Modi’s Pitch to Japanese Investors at Tokyo Summit

In a powerful pitch to Japanese business leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday championed India as a premier investment destination, urging them to “Come, make in India and make for the world.” Addressing the India-Japan Economic Forum in Tokyo, the Prime Minister highlighted the nation’s political and economic stability, its rapid growth trajectory, and the deep-rooted trust that defines the bilateral relationship.

Calling Japan an “important partner in India’s development story,” PM Modi underscored the strength of the existing ties. “From metro to semiconductor, our partnership is a symbol of trust. Japanese companies have invested more than 40 billion dollars in India,” he stated, adding that this collaboration is “strategic and smart, powered by economic logic.” He positioned India as a springboard for Japanese businesses to access the Global South, asserting that together, the two nations will “shape the Asian century for stability, growth and prosperity.”

The Prime Minister painted a bullish picture of the Indian economy, telling the assembled investors, “In India, capital doesn’t just grow, it multiplies.” He emphasized India’s status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and its projected rise to become the third-largest. This growth, he explained, is underpinned by his government’s mantra of “reform, perform, and transform,” pointing to a new simplified tax regime and the opening of key sectors like defence, space, and now nuclear energy to private investment.

Looking to the future, Modi called for a deeper partnership, stating that “Japan’s excellence and India’s scale can create a perfect partnership.” He highlighted the potential for “Japan’s technology and India’s talent” to jointly lead the tech revolution of this century, while also noting cooperation in clean energy and next-generation infrastructure projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail.

The address was a key engagement on the first day of his two-day visit for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit with his counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba. Following his visit to Japan, PM Modi is scheduled to travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.